A Brief Exposition of the Book of Ecclesiastes, Commentary on Ecclesiastes · Verse 5
Eccleſ. 7. v. 7.
7. Surely oppreſſion maketh a wiſe man mad, and a gift deſtroyeth the heart.
foreign Tranſlated ſurely, I doe not finde that ever the conjunction ſo ſignifieth in Scripture, but as it is tranſlated in v. 6. for ſo it is firly to be tranſlated here. Surely neither ſtandeth with the Grammar or Logick of the Text: no coherence will ſo be made of the ſentence. But tranſlate it for, and the context runs thus: Solomon had ſaid (verſ. 5.) It is better to hear the rebuke of the wiſe, then the ſong of fools.
This he proveth, firſt, from the vanity of the ſong of fools, illuſtrated by a ſimile taken from the crackling of thorns under a pot, v. 6. Of this was ſpoken in the former verſe.
Secondly, from the madneſſe of the oppreſſion of ſuch a reprover. To oppreſſe a wiſe reprover, 1. makes a wiſe man mad: A wiſe man, whether it be, 1. The reproved, he wil grow outragious by oppreſſing his reprover, as did Aſa, 2 Chron. 16.10. 2 The reprover. Oppreſſion may diſtemper him, Jer. 20.7, 8, 9. & v. 14 to 18. Secondly, deſtroys the heart (or life) of the Gift; Gift cannot properly or Grammatically be in the Nominative caſe before the Verb, but by Anomaly. For it is of the Foeminine Gender, the Verb deſtroy of the maſculine; neither is the ſenſe ſo ſuitable here.
Thirdly, from the excellency of the end of a word, foreign to wit the word of reproof, above the beginning of it; the beginning of it may be harſh and unpleaſant, but the end of it is wholſome, and medicinable, v. 8.
Fourthly, from the excellency of the patient in ſpirit (as otherwiſe, ſo eſpecially in hearing and bearing the reproofs of the wiſe) above the proud in ſpirit, v. 8. Whereupon he inferreth a grave and wiſe admonition, not to be of an haſty ſpirit to anger, neither in hearing reproofs, nor generally in any other caſe, taken from the proper ſubject of the reſidence of anger: for Anger reſteth in the boſome of fools, verſ. 9.
Doctr. It is better to heare and bear the rebuke of the wiſe, with ſubmiſſion and patience, then with oppreſſion and paſſion, with pride and anger. This ſeemeth to be the very proper ſcope of Solomons words in this place, 2 Sam. 12.7. to 13. 2 Chron. 19.2, 3, 4. 1 Kings 22.8. Let not the King ſay ſo, Mat. 16.23▪ Gal. 2.11. to 14.
Reaſon 1. From the madneſſe that a wiſe man ſhall fall into by oppreſſing a wiſe Reprover; in that, firſt, he wil diſtemper and enrage himſelfe, 2 Chron. 16.10. Secondly, he will deſtroy the heart and life of the gift of reproofe. It will no more profit then Phyſick vomited up, or a plaiſter caſt aſide. Thirdly, he may alſo diſtemper and enrage the reprover, Jer. 20.7, 8, 9. & v. 14, to 20. At leaſt it wil force him to keep ſilence, Amos 5.10, 13. This may be referred to the ſecond.
Reaſon 2. From the excellency of the word of reproofe in the end, above what it appeareth in the beginning, Pſalm 141. 5. Prov. 28.23. Phyſick may be bitter and loathſome at firſt: yet health by it, recompenceth that.
Reaſon 3. From the excellency of the patient in ſpirit, above the proud in ſpirit, verſ. 8. Patience firſt poſſeſſeth the ſoule, Luke 21.19. Secondly, inheriteth promiſes, Heb. 6.12. Thirdly, it maketh us perfect, Jam. 1.4.
Reaſon 4. Implied in the Text, verſ. 8. from the root of all rejection of reproofe, which is pride of ſpirit, Prov. 13.1. & 15: 12. Pride, firſt God abhorreth and ſcorneth, and reſiſteth, 1 Pet. 5.5. Pſal. 138.6. Prov. 3.34. Secondly, is the preſage of ſudden deſtruction, Prov. 29.1.
Ʋſe 1. To teach us to eſchew all oppreſſion, eſpecially of our reprovers. It argueth us, and maketh us mad, Prov. 28.16. It diſcourageth a reprover from putting forth the faithfulneſſe of his brotherly love, Jer. 20.9, Amos 5.13. Yea, he is now excuſed in his ſilence, Matth. 7.6. It eateth out the heart and life of a gift, of the reproofe given, 1 Kings 22.8. & v. 27, 28. 2 Kings 5.12, 13.
Ʋſe 2. To teach us to be patient in hearing and bearing reproofs. The end of them is better then the beginning; the beginning may ſeem harſh and bitter, but the end is wholſome and comfortable, as of all affliction, Heb. 12.11. 2 Cor. 1.6, 7. & chap: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. It is not meant of all things univerſally, that their end is better then their beginning; for it is otherwiſe in ſome things, 2 Pet. 2.20. Matth. 12.45. Prov. 20.21. But it holdeth in this duty of Admonition, and all Afflictions, inward, and outward to the godly. All impatience here argueth pride of ſpirit, as appeareth by the oppoſition, Text v. 8.
Ʋſe 3. To teach us to expreſſe patience rather then pride, and to prefer it both in our judgements, and in our practice. foreign is a man of a long breath, which argueth a patient ſpirit; men of a ſhort breath are ſoon hot; men of hot hearts breath quick and ſhort, as in cholerick and aguiſh men. Patient in ſpirit exceeds the ſproud, firſt, in underſtanding and wiſdom, Prov. 17.27. foreign frigidus ſpiritû, a man of a coole ſpirit is of great underſtanding. Secondly, in ſtrength and courage, Prov. 25.28. & 16.32. Thirdly, in honour, Prov. 22.4. Fourthly, in profiting by all means of grace. In word, Luke 8.15. In affections, Rom. 5.3, 4, 5. Some think it their excellency and magnanimity to bear no coals at any mans hand, but to give every man as good as he brings. Patience they condemn for cowardiſe; but the Spirit of God judgeth otherwiſe.